I didn’t grow up a reader. All we had in the house were some low-brow thriller novels, random Soviet editions of classics, and that one tattered edition of an old medical journal that belonged to my grandfather, which I wholeheartedly consider to be ‘my first book’.
For the longest time, I thought that I simply didn’t like fiction, and would use my measly stipend that I got while studying at the university, to pay for bus fare and visit the annual Book Fair, where I would get only educational literature and maybe a random cookbook. Then, when I got to my twentieth, I still felt severely uneducated and decided on the spot to become an avid reader.
In 2012, I got my first Kindle and stuffed it with popular classics and contemporary novels. 2013 was my best reading year ever – I read 80 books, including such ‘complicated’ works of literature as The Handmaid Tale by Margaret Atwood and Centaur by John Updike. Since then, I haven’t been able to replicate that feeling of waking up and falling asleep with a book. Yet, I’m grateful for that experience and often think about what that year had brought me, how it had expanded my horizons, formed me as a reader. And it was 2013 when I first started writing.
My top 6 influential books
Most of the time, when people talk about the books that have formed their personality, they talk about the books they were reading as children. I don’t have the luxury to do that, but I can still share a few good books that have influenced me at different stages of life.
1. The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka
First, I had to read this book for school, and I thought of it as just a fantastic story. Then I re-read it later in life and looked at it more as a metaphor. It’s a story about dependence and responsibility, compassion and maybe a little humility.
Maybe at some point, I related to Gregor Zamza a little too much. He’s someone who used to do everything for his family. Go above and beyond. And then suddenly he couldn’t do anything at all. And at this time of vulnerability, his family turned away from him. The moment he was no longer useful, he became a burden to the same people who used to depend on him completely. He did everything for his family. They wouldn’t allow him to be vulnerable for even a second.
2. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
I have a special place in my heart for this book, because it was the first novel I read in English cover to cover. I’ve known the story of Anne ever since I was a child. I would always watch the Canadian TV series with Megan Follows on cable TV. It was dubbed in Polish, but that never stopped me from falling in love with the characters, the beautiful Canadian scenery, and the overall whimsy of this story.
I tried to get the book from my university library in my freshman year. Sadly, at the time, the book series hadn’t yet been translated into Ukrainian. The two librarians from the literary fiction section gave me a weird look and said that they had never heard of Lucy Maud Montgomery. So, of course, I had to resort to reading all the books in the original English.
3. Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett
What can I say about Waiting for Godot? It’s an absurdist tragicomedy, which can be interpreted in many ways — politically, ethically, and philosophically. To me, it’s always been mostly about the meaning of life. The local modernist theatre includes it in their repertoire, and I’ve had the chance to see their production at least three times.
4. Persuasion by Jane Austen
I’m not sure if this is a very popular choice of your favorite ‘Austen’, but it’s mine. I think what really made me love this novel is that the characters are a little older. For me personally, that’s what makes them more relatable. The story is in many ways psychological, just as much as it is literary. I loved seeing the main character and her love interest get a second chance at their “happily ever after”.
5. The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
I’m pretty sure I’ve reread this charming children’s book a few times, and I would read it again. It’s a very atmospheric and charming story about anthropomorphic animals, their lives and adventures. I love reading such stories, even if I’m not the target audience. Maybe it’s because it reminds me that the world can be a kinder place.
6. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
This book, in many aspects, is about politics. The author intertwines the storylines of her characters who come from very different socioeconomic backgrounds. While telling these very personal stories, Chimamanda explains the political unrest in Nigeria in the 60s. It’s an excellent book if you want to learn more about the country and its people. It shows very complicated situations and relationships, while completely captivating our attention with its strong female characters. I read Half of a Yellow Sun in 2018, and it’s probably just about time to reread this novel.
I believe that, as a reader, you never really stop being influenced by books. As you age and reread your favorite books, you discover different platitudes to the story. So, you can learn something at any point in life, as long as you keep an open mind and stay curious.
Leave a Reply